homan



fl TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS MILLWARD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO H. HOMAN, W. L. THOMAS, AND D. D. HARDY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPINNING-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,430, dated June 14, 1859.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MILLWARD, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Combined Gyroscope and Spinning-Top; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to .the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

The subject of this invention is a philosophical top designed to illustrate in a compact and inexpensive form various motions and forces incident to gyroscopes and to spinning tops; and it consists of a peculiar arrangement of spindle and momentum wheel adapted for use in the various ways referred to and dispensing with the customary encircling frame of the gyroscope.

Inthe accompanying drawings Figure 1, is an aXial section. Fig. 2 is a perspective View illustrating the manner of setting the apparatus in motion. Fig. 3, is a perspective view illustrative of the gyroscope action. Figs. l and 5 exhibit the instrument spinning as a common top on the lo-ng and short ends v respectively.

This toy may be economically manufactured as follows A is a moment-um or fly wheel with a somewhat prolonged hub B, for the purposes both of stability and of winding (see Fig. 2). This wheel may be of white metal cast upon a polished steel core-wl'iose withdrawal will leave the required aperture in the hub B, to receive the spindle C.

The spindle C, may be made of steel wire and should be pointed at each end to facilitate spinning, when used as a top.-

The spindle C, should be notched at a, u., (by a quick operation) to retain securely to their places on the spindle collars D, D', E,

' E, which are cast in white metal-fast upon it.

The collars D, D, confine the momentum wheel A-to its place on the spindle C-and the collars E, E', perform a like office for the string by which the instrument` is suspended when exhibited' as a gyroscope (see Fig. 3).

The composition of the wheel and collars may be the alloy known -as Britannia metal.

The construction selected *for the'present illustration is that preferred by me-but an inferior modification may have the 1nomentum wheel fast upon the suindle as in the common spinning top and in the common gyroscope, a loose sleeve being mounted upon the spindle to afford facility for prehension ,and suspension. The said sleeve is preserved from longitudinal displacement by collars or a groovey upon 4the spindle and is'y itself furnished with collars to retain the suspending string to its place.

Another modification may consists in subl stituting grooves for the collars D, D', E, E, thus;vinstead of the collars D, D, a single groove in the spindle may receive a pin-pro- ]ecting inwardly through the hub-and another groove in the spindle may take theI place of the collars E, E..

It will be seen-that this apparatus entirely y dispenses with the external frame common with gyroscope and admits of being taken in the hand while spinning and removed from place to place without arresting the motion of the momentum wheel.

I claim as new and of my invention- A combined gyroscope and spinning top constructed and operating substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

FRANCIS MILLVVARD. Witnesses:

WM. L. THOMAS, D. D. HARDY. 

